Oklahoma gets out of a two-game slide with a 7-2 win on Saturday against the Rider Broncs.
While the expectations are sky-high for the Oklahoma Sooners following last season’s trip to the College World Series, the Sooners have struggled out of the gate.
Saturday was a step in the right direction, though. Oklahoma bounced back from two consecutive losses to Abilene Christian and Rider with a comfortable 7-2 win Saturday afternoon in Norman, Oklahoma.
Fridayโs loss was highlighted by the Sooners leaving 14 runners on base. In a game they lost 6-3, just a bit more execution probably changes the outcome. The Sooners took that loss to heart and responded with seven runs Saturday afternoon.
One player who has been consistent of late, Anthony Mackenzie, kept his hot weekend going by posting a 4 for 5 day. Heโs now 8 for 10 in his last two games.
Freshman catcher Easton Carmichael delivered in the biggest way with his three RBI day, setting the tone for the offense. An RBI ground out followed by a two-run single from Carmichael in the bottom of the third provided an immediate answer to Rider, who scored in the top half. The Sooners took the lead, and never looked back.
Shortstop Dakota Harris drove in Mackenzie in the bottom of the 4th to make it 4-1. Part of Mackenzieโs four-hit day included an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth. Oklahoma scored on a sac fly, and Carmichael delivered an RBI triple to push the Sooners out to a 7-1 lead.
The Sooners’ pitching staff was stout from beginning to end. Big right-handed junior Will Carsten started the game and gave Oklahoma a quality start by spreading out three hits, one run, four Kโs, and one walk over five innings.
That set the stage for Carson Pierce, a right-handed pitcher originally from Edmond, Oklahoma. He went on to spin four innings of one-run ball himself. He also notched 3 strikeouts in the process.
Oklahoma coasted to a comfortable win Saturday and now sit at 3-5 on the season. In the win, Oklahoma stranded nine runners on base. That’s something theyโll want to improve as they get deeper into the schedule.
The Sooners will look to win their first series of the year on Sunday afternoon as they battle Rider in the rubber match of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm C.T. at L. Dale Mitchell Stadium.
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